


Future!Verse: ABO AU World-Building

by yukipri



Series: Future!Verse ABO AU [3]
Category: Original Work, Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Gender discourse, Headcanon, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Multi, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-10-21 07:49:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17638739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yukipri/pseuds/yukipri
Summary: Detailed world-building post for my ABO AU. Contains non-traditonal ABO elements.＊While this world-building work was created as a reference for my own YOI AU, it has no reference to any specific fandom or characters, and may be read as a general A/B/O+ work.





	1. Overview

**Author's Note:**

> Alright so let’s talk some more about Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics (or more appropriately, A/B/O+) in the context of this particular AU, since I do have it set up slightly differently from other ABO AUs I’ve seen in the past.
> 
> **This entire post is pure world-building, and has no specific references to any fandom or character** , and you do not need to be familiar with or even interested in my AU to read. It’s therefore also listed under “Original Works.” However, it’s still listed in my YOI Future!Verse ABO series since that’s what it was created for.
> 
> Anyway, this is the result of me thinking a bit too much but yes, please indulge me. Lots of grossly oversimplified biology, wishy washy science, please just roll with it and understand it as a part of providing world building background context for my AU ^ ^;;
> 
> **NOTE:** I personally enjoy A/B/O and many of its tropes lot, but there’s always some questions floating around and some huh WOW concepts that are very common. This is not at all meant to be criticism of those tropes or people who enjoy them since I personally like reading them myself, but part of the purpose of this AU set-up is to challenge them and matters such as consent in an “if ABO was real” sort of setting. It’s a parody A/B/O, if you will. Many of the tropes will be mentioned but also actively questioned in-universe or be a result of propagated images in in-AU media rather than a reality experienced by most people.
> 
> ALSO, I did my best to be conscious, respectful, and inclusive when describing this AU setting, but keep in mind that I cannot fit the entire social discourse of sex and gender into one text post. While there are many generalizations, I tried to mention as much as possible that these are generalizations only, and that there are always exceptions.
> 
> **WARNINGS: will discuss explicit reproduction and sex but from a very biological standpoint, contain many elements typically found in A/B/O AUs, discussion of rape, consent, sexism, and general social stigma and constructs. Read at your own discretion.**
> 
> Unlike the original Tumblr post, different sections will be posted as separate chapters for easier navigation.

In this AU, people have what is referred to as a “primary sex” and “secondary sex.” The primary sex is what we generally consider “sex” in our universe, and is generally indicated by external physical features, secondary sex characteristics, and chromosomes. The secondary is indicated by pheromone levels and reproductive capabilities post presenting. Both primary and secondary sexes are on a spectrum and neither are necessarily indicative of gender identity or sexual orientation.

The most common secondaries are alpha, beta, and omega, the three of which are on a spectrum with alpha and omega being on the far extreme ends and beta being the middle range. The spectrum continues within each range; some omegas are closer to beta, others not so much. The categorization of which parts of the spectrum are alpha, beta, or omega are arbitrary, and different cultures and contexts may use different factors in defining them.

In addition, there are two more increasingly commonly recognized secondaries.

One is gamma, for individuals on the beta-alpha or beta-omega borders of the spectrum, whose pheromones are fluid and cannot be defined by one secondary. Many of their physical characteristics as a result of their secondaries will fluctuate on external factors like other pheromones in the area or personal mental state. They’re commonly referred to as gamma-alpha or gamma-omega.

The other is delta, people who do not release and cannot sense pheromones within the legally accepted range for any other secondaries. Many deltas are sterile and a large percent of them are asexual and/or aromantic.

Some cultures do not recognize or have much understanding of gammas and deltas, as they are outside the widely-accepted secondary trinary of A/B/O. Many gammas and deltas consider themselves genderqueer.

~~

_Some questions that will be addressed in following sections:_

Why are there two categories of sexes? What are the fundamental differences between the two? What is the evolutionary benefit of this? Do they use different reproductive systems? Is this just for humans or other animals too? And more elaboration on examples of different social constructs around sex and gender when there’s not just one, but two axes of sex and gender to consider?

 


	2. Evolutionary origins of secondaries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who even thinks about evolution in ABO...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wheee wishy washy science, please forgive me ^ ^;;;

So first, why secondaries exist in the first place. Many ABO AUs in fandom culture are more heavily tied to wolves/werewolves but for the point of this AU, please consider…parrot fish.

Parrot fish live in groups that tend to have all females and one male. When the male dies, the largest female becomes male. All fish have the potential to change sex based on how they would best benefit their community.

In this AU, this is also the evolutionary premise of humans having secondaries. Human ancestors had the potential to take on any reproductive role regardless of what they were born with. If a community ended up having way more people who could bear children, some would likely present as alphas with the ability to sire children instead. If the opposite were the case, some people who previously could not bear children would present as omega. Their presentations would be affected by their community and the presence of certain kinds of pheromones or the lack thereof.

If part of the community was wiped out due to disease or vulnerability based on social role, the remaining members would have the ability to adapt to fill all roles again. Remnants of this reproductive fluidity is still present in the existence of gammas, though their range of fluctuation tends to be limited to part of the spectrum and not the whole as human ancestors were suspected to be capable of.

As humans evolved, became more mobile, built larger communities etc. etc., the role of the secondary changed. Because of the physical strain of fluctuating secondaries that also cause physical change, most people have set secondaries upon presenting during puberty. While people who live in smaller, more isolated communities with members rarely entering or exiting are more heavily affected by the makeup of said communities when presenting, this is not necessarily the case with people who live in cities or other areas that are not as permanently community-based. As such it is near impossible to determine the secondary of an individual prior to their presenting for most people in the modern age.

Secondaries are only slightly affected by genetics. The popular belief that “an alpha-omega couple is likely to produce more alphas and omegas” has some basis in that children born from omegas have a greater chance of also being on the far edges of the spectrum (alpha or omega), but again, nothing is for certain.

Secondaries are present in most primates and some other mammals, but it is not uncommon to only see primary or secondary sexes in other species. The animal kingdom encompasses an enormous variation of types of sex and reproduction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So basically everyone used to be very fluid ^ ^;


	3. Generalizations on the perception of secondaries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Generalizations, and generalizations only, but a starting point

The guestimated approximate ratios of secondaries are 30% alpha, 60% beta, and 10% omega. Omegas tend to be rarer because of the physical strain of growing a womb, which is unnecessarily stressful especially when there is already an abundance of people with primary sexes capable of bearing children. These approximate percentages should be taken with a grain of salt, as everything is on a spectrum with arbitrary cut-offs, and there are also far more than 3 types of secondaries.

The social impact secondaries have on an individual is hugely exaggerated by (heavily Western influenced) media within this universe, which loves to generalize the secondary experience, but in reality the diverse spectrum of secondary variations makes it very hard to categorize anyone.

However, some common **generalizations** are:

**Alphas** have many physical advantages including superior strength, speed, size etc. They are more sensitive to pheromones and tend to lose control of their emotions and actions as a result thereof, and are often excused for their behavior as a result. More often than not, their lack of control is heavily influenced by being socialized to think that their behavior is acceptable, rather than an actual physical inability to control themselves any more or less than other secondaries (“alphas will be alphas,” after all).

Known for being charismatic, alphas are often given leadership or physically demanding positions. This secondary is the most privileged in the modern world, though again, heavily due to colonialism and the influence of Western culture; not all cultures used to be this way. It is easily considered the most desirable and beneficial secondary. Many will assume that an alpha can complete tasks better than betas or omegas regardless of actual results, and as such they’re given better opportunities, better pay, etc. They are heavily glorified in media, landing the most hero and main character roles which further promotes the privilege in an endless cycle.

Yet despite the privilege, there are many cons to being an alpha as well; anything other than outstanding success in comparison to other secondaries is considered failure. Alphas are always expected to perform better, be that on tests, in sports, with jobs, with finding mates, etc. Any alphas with average results comparable to that of their beta peers or worse, their omega peers are often mocked. Those without ambition are also shunned, and alphas who want or are happy with “beta/omega-like” professions rarely find acceptance.

Alphas are expected to be independent, show no weakness, and provide solutions instead of seeking them from others. This leads to many alphas carrying immense stress or mental illness, who then refuse to seek help for fear of damaging their alpha reputations.

**Betas** are the most common secondary and can be anywhere in the wide spectrum leaning towards alpha or omega. They are not as sensitive to pheromones, which can be an extreme advantage in the sense that they usually don’t get as distracted by them as alphas or omegas. Betas are usually considered the “followers,” the side kicks and background mob characters in media despite making up the majority of most populations. Some alphas in leadership positions may intentionally surround themselves with betas, who they may consider less of a potential threat.

Betas are often in the situation where if they work hard, advancement in society isn’t impossible, and given their sheer numbers, it is inevitable that some betas will find themselves in leadership positions. They will still face pressure from their alpha peers as being, “successful despite being a beta,” or the flip, “of course it’s easier for you, you never faced the pheromonal challenges of being an alpha.” At the same time, they face a lack of expectations, which can be both freeing but also insulting; society isn’t surprised if they end up being average, but at the same time, society doesn’t have any hopes for their potential. Still, betas often have the greatest freedom in choosing a lifestyle unaffected by the biases against their secondary.

**Omegas** are the rarest secondary, and are often perceived as the sexual counterpart to the socially empowered alphas. As a result, they are often heavily fetishized in media, seen as the coveted trophies. While most of the modern world claims to be progressive enough to no longer hold such beliefs, the concept is still heavily ingrained in many cultures. The fact that omegas are an oppressed minority in much of the world further limits their voices in correcting this image.

Omegas are often perceived as having smaller builds than their alpha and beta counterparts. They are expected to be submissive, obedient, and without opinions other than to support that of alphas and betas. They are expected to be physically weaker, despite evidence to the contrary. Omegas, especially male omegas require extreme durability in order to sustain pregnancies, and are often sturdier and have much greater stamina than alphas as a result.

Omegas are the secondary most pressured about their external appearance, due to the fact that they are often valued less as people, and more as possessions or decorations. Society cares far more about how appealing omegas may be to their potential mates than recognizing omega individuality. Omegas are expected to be small, dainty, delicate, beautiful. Omegas who are larger than average or do not fit the image of the ideal omega trophy wife are told they have no value. Western media also constantly propagates the image that fair omegas are more ideal, and that those with darker skin or non Caucasian appearances are “exotic,” adding racial discrimination that often affects omegas more painfully than other secondaries.

Alphas and omegas are considered the ideal, perfect romantic couple, the kind of story most glorified in media. Alphas and omegas are soul-mates, or otherwise have all sorts of messages of fate and destiny woven around them. Until more recently, there were very few if any mainstream acceptable love stories that even featured betas or worse, alpha-alpha or omega-omega couplings, and even in the modern day, they are considered rare and risky.

Yet despite alphas and omegas being the most commonly represented type of couple, their formulaic relationships often include romanticizing extreme power differences between the two: the alpha as the powerful, possessive hyper-dominant, the omega as the gentle, all-forgiving and dependent hyper-submissive. This depiction socially conditions the public to feel this dynamic is not only natural, but desirable in a relationship.

There are considerably fewer stereotypes associated with gammas and deltas, as they are far less recognized as secondary groups.

**Gammas** , when recognized at all, tend to be considered a “step up” from betas (gamma-alpha) or “step down” (gamma-omega). They are often discriminated against by both alphas and omegas as “trying too hard, glorified beta.” They are constantly compared to both betas and alphas/omegas, unable to fully fit into any of the three commonly recognized secondary categories yet also rarely getting acceptance as their own unique secondary. Being able to “pass” as a beta can have its social benefits, and some are comfortable with this identification. Others, however, seek greater acknowledgement of their actual fluidity, which may be more important to the individual than their similarities to other secondaries.

**Deltas** are still not widely recognized or understood, and are either grouped with betas, or are unfortunately treated as immature/childish due to their presentation’s resemblance to unpresented children (more on this later).

Many gammas and deltas find themselves either a part of or relating strongly to queer communities due to being outside the standard accepted secondary trinary. There are even rarer secondaries beyond gammas and deltas, going further down the greek alphabet, and new secondary identities are still being coined as well. Secondaries, like primaries, are merely defined by social constructs, and there is no scientific reason why there can only be alphas, betas, and omegas.

To reiterate, the above generalizations of secondaries are merely that, widely perceived generalizations, and most individuals do not fall cleanly into their delegated categories. Even the stereotypes are not universal across cultures and regions. However, these perceptions of secondaries can still have large impacts on peoples’ lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow that ended up like...double the length of the original chapter after edits LMAO

**Author's Note:**

> And here's the world-building post! I wrote this up when I first started this AU, and while my thoughts on some parts have changed, it's mostly served as a guide for the kinds of ABO situations I wanted to include.
> 
> It is, as you can see, nothing but world-building and sorta reads like a very sloppy essay. But indulge my brain vomit, if this sorta thing interests you ^ ^;
> 
> Individual "chapters" will be short, as this was originally one massive text post but I want the sections to be easier to find.
> 
> Actual story content using this world-building context can be found in other works in the Future!Verse series, of which this is a part.
> 
> If you for whatever reason are interested in referencing this for your own stories, I don’t mind, but please credit me AND link directly to this work (and it’s polite to ask so I know ^ ^;)! Thanks so much for reading!


End file.
